RAMPANT ANTISEMITISM (23 april 2004)
Yesterday there was a program on Dutch television about antisemitism during the Second World War.
Watching the program, I was more and more shocked that so many people must have known about the atrocities being committed and did nothing to stop it.
But then it occurred to me that also our days have their share of antisemitism. I'll give a few examples:
- If you've ever been in Eastern Europe, you will know about the antisemitism that's so much alive there. Is it strange that many Jews want to emigrate?
- In an earlier life I was involved with a family with Russian roots. It stung them that Russians were often unable to cross the Iron Curtain whereas Jews finally received permission to go. The comments I heard on that point bordered on antisemitism.
- Whatever we may think about the things that happen between Israelis and Palestinians, it does not exactly show careful thinking if the Jews that haven't moved to Israel are blamed for what happens in the Middle East.
- If uneducated young Arabs fall into the trap mentioned under 3 is tragic enough, but they probably don't know any better. But why Western 'intellectuals' would fall for the same misconception is hard to understand.
I am really surprised that these Arabs are not told that this isn't the way things should work in our society.
Freedom and democracy are things that must be defended. We don't really want to allow agressive forces to terrorize and take over our society, or do we?
